Flocked pattern effects in cellulosic fabrics and the production thereof



Patented Apr. 29, 1941 FLOCKED PATTERN EFFECTS IN CELLU- LOSIC FABRICS AND THE PRODUCTION THEREOF Georges Heberlein, Wattwil, Switzerland, assignor to Heberlein Patent Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York No Drawing. Application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,107. In Switzerland April 15, 1939 23 Claims.

This invention pertains to improved ornamental effects on cellulosic fabrics and to the production thereof, and more especially to such fabrics embodying flocked palttern effects alone i or in conjunction with other ornamental effects, such as parchmentized, shrinkage or discharge effects, pigmented or dyed color effects, or a combination of these.

It is known to provide fabrics with so-called flocked" designs by locally printing the fabric with a varnish according to a selected design, and then, while the varnish is moist and sticky, applying thereto, as for example by dusting or blowing, a coating of loose and finely comminuted fibers or flocks. The excess of such flocks not adhering to the varnished areas is removed mechanically, for example by beating, brushing or suction. This so-called flock print can be produced in colors by the use of flocks dyed in colors. The flocking may be applied to one or both sides of the fabric, as desired, depending on whether the varnish employed adheres only to one side of, or penetrates through, the fabric.

mthough greatly enhanced ornamental effects would result from combining flocked pattern effects with various combinations of the other effects above referred to, no satisfactory methods have heretofore been devised for accomplishing this owing to the difliculties encountered. For example, the attempt to produce combined flocked and parchmentized effects by locally printing the fabric in different patterns with a flocking varnish and with a parchmentizing paste,

such as zinc chloride, calcium thiocyanate solu-,

tion or cellulose dissolving quaternary organic bases or organic amino oxides, thickened with cellulose, and thereupon applying the flock, results in permanent adherence of the flock not only to the varnish but also to the parchmentizing paste, owing to the parchmentizing action of the latter. The result is that the areas of the fabric intended to be parchmentized and made more transparent, are transformed into slightly flocked, cloudy areas. Also the flock in these areas will be stiffened by the parchmentizing agent, which of itself is undesirable. Also the fabric must be washed shortly after the parchmentizing paste is applied in order to prevent its impairing the fabric, but this must be done before the flock varnish has time to dry sufficiently, so that the washing operation will remove a large portion of the flock from the varnish printed areas. If, on the other hand, the fabric is first pattern printed with the varnish, then flocked, and then passed through a bath ,to parchmentize, the flock will again be stifiened and parchmentized along with the-exposed portions of the fabric. Similarly, if the attempt is made to produce combined flocked and shrinkage pattern effects, by locally printing the fabric in different patterns with the flocking varnish and with a shrinking agent paste, followed by flocking, the fabric must be washed within a few minutes thereafter to prevent the shrinking agent from impairing the fabric. But within this interval, the varnish does not dry sufliciently to prevent the flock from being removed to a considerable extent during the washing operation. Alternatively, if the fabric is first printed only with the varnish, then flocked and dried, and then passed through a shrinking bath, the flock as well as the fabric will be attacked by the shrinking agent. Other proposals for combining the flocked patterns with the various ornamental eifects above referred to are similarly objectionable for one reason or another.

In accordance with a principal feature of novelty of the present invention, it is proposed to overcome the above and like difficulties, by employing as the flock, a fiber material consisting of natural or regenerated cellulose which has been renderedrelatively insensitive to strong swelling agents by treatment with formaldehyde in the presence of acid catalysts at temperatures of about to C., or by surface etherification or esteriflcation, for example by treating the fibers with p-toluol sulfochloride or other etherizing or esterifying agents.

By employing such a flock, the fabric, after flocking, may be tree/ted with swelling agents to produce, for example, parchmentized, shrinkage or discharge effects without impairing the de-' sired soft and fleece-like qualities of the flock. For example, the fabric may be pattern printed with the flock varnish, then flocked and dried and thereupon passed through a bath of an appropriate swelling agent to produce desired parchmentized, or shrinkage effects in conjunction with the flocked pattern effects.

A desensitized flock of the character above described is, owing to its insensitiveness to the influence of moisture, particularly suitable generally in place of the flocked materials heretofore employed. Also special color effects can be produced due to the fact that such a flock has a resist action toward substantive colors. A further advantage consists therein that a colored flock which, for example, has been made insensitive in the manner stated, by treatment with form aldehyde, has an increased 'fastness to washing as compared to ordinary colored flocks.

If the fabric, after pattern printing with the flocking varnish followed by flocking and drying, is passed in this condition through a swelling agent bath, all portions of the fabric other than the flocked areas will be parchmentized, mercerized or shrunk, etc., depending on the swelling agent employed. 'In accordance with a second feature of the invention, parchmentized or shrinkage,etc.,'pattern effects may be combined in a predetermined relation or registry with the flocked pattern effects, by pattern printing the fabric in a single printing operation, i. e. by passing over successive printing rolls, with a resist against the swelling agent and also with the flocking varnish in such sequence that the varnish is always printed on last, following which the fabric is flocked with the desensitized flock and dried, and is thereupon treated in a bath of an appropriate swelling agent in order to parchmentize, shrink, etc., exposed areas, 1. e. those other than the flocked and resist protected areas.

The reason why the flock varnish must be printed" on the fabric last, i. e. subsequent to printing of the resist, is that in order to assure proper adherence of the flock, a relatively heavy coating of a highly adhesive or tacky varnish is required, such as would be spread out by and adhere to any subsequent print rolls, thereby impairing not only the subsequent printing operations but also the sharpness of delineation of the varnish pattern on the fabric. On the other hand, the resist when printed first, is substantially unaffected by the varnish print rolls, owing to the light coating of the resist required and to the rapid penetration of the resist into the fabric.

The resist against the swelling agent may be Water-soluble, for example, gum arabic 1:1, or it may be a water insoluble resist, such as a fast drying cellulosic lacquer, for example, a lacquer of medium viscosity nitrocellulose, in which case the resist will remain permanently in the fabric for imparting desired characteristics to the areas so reserved, such as slight but permanent and wash-resistant stiffness and smoothness.

Also water-soluble resists, when employed, may contain suitable dyes, and the water-insoluble resists, when employed, may contain pigments, for providing dyed or wash-resistant pigmented effects in the resist areas.

During the flocking operation, little or no flock will adhere to. the resist printed areas owing to the thin coating applied, its penetration into the fabric, and its relatively non-tacky character. Such flock as may adhere to the water-soluble resist, when employed, will be removed along with the resist during subsequent washing. Also the preferred water-insoluble lacquer resists employed, being fast drying, will be relatively dry and smooth when the flock is applied, thereby substantially eliminating any tendency of the flock to adhere thereto.

Parchmentizing can be effected in the manner above described by employment of a sulfuric acid bath of over 505 B. in the case of cotton fabrics, or below '50.5 B. in the event in the case of regenerated cellulose, in connection with which,-if desired, a subsequent treatment with lye of mercerizing strength, with or without lensioning, may be used.

For shrinking, the flocked fabric either printed with the resist or not as desired, depending on the effect to be produced, is treated in loose condition in a liquor of mercerizing strength or is impregnated on the padding machine with such liquor and, after squeezing out, is allowed to lie for a few minutes, or is treated in loose condition with sulfuric acid below parchmentizing strength, for example, sulfuric acid'of 50 B. Where resist printing is employed, localized shrinkage will of course be effected in the nonreserved areas. Other interesting results may be obtained by merely varnish printing, flocking and drying the fabric, and thereafter pattern printing with a thickened alkali shrinking agent, followed by washing after a few minutes to remove the shrinking agent.

. Flocked pattern effects may be combined with parchmentized and shrinkage pattern effects, by first pattern printing in a desired registry'with a water-soluble resist and with a flock varnish, followed by flocking, drying and treating in a parchmentizing bath as aforesaid to parchmentize the non-reserved areas, whereupon the fabric is washed to remove the water-soluble resist, and treated in a shrinking bath, whereby the areas reserved by the water-soluble resist against parchmentization in the parchmentizing bath, will now be shrunk. Also creped or embossed pattern eifects may be produced in the non-parchmentized and non-flocked areas if, after removal of the water-soluble resist following the parchmentizing treatment, the fabric is again printed with a second resist prior to treatment in the shrinkage bath, whereby during the shrinkage treatment, the areas reserved by the second resist will be protected against shrinkage. Creped effects may be produced, for example, by printing the second resist in stripes, preferably relatively narrow and closely spaced; and pronounced embossed effects may be produced by printing the second resist in spaced rectangles,

squares or other regularly recurring patterns whereby either the shrunk or unshrunk areas will be wholly separated from one another and by subjecting the so-printed fabric to a strong shrinkage treatment, for example, soda lye of 28 to 38 B. for about three minutes. The second resist may be water-soluble, in which case it is removed on subsequent washing, or it may be a water-insoluble lacquer resist, in which case a slight but permanent stiffness will be imparted to the creped or embossed areas. It is to be understood of course that creped or embossed effects may be combined with pattern efiects, and without the presence of parchmentization, by printing the flrst'resist in the manner aforesaid along with the flocking varnish, and thereupon subjecting the fabric only to a shrinking treatment.

Patterned genuine crepe effects combined with flocked pattern effects can also be obtained by employment of a fabric containing highly twisted yarns, which is pattern printed with the flock varnish and also with a resist in registry therewith, if desired, followed by flocking and, after treatment with a-parchmentizing agent, treatment in a hot soap solution to crepe the nonparchmentized areas in the well-known manner as applied to such highly twisted yarn fabrics.

Also in accordance with the invention, flock print effects may be combined with embroidery-like discharge or Devorant effects, the latter obtained production of the combined flock print effects above described can be produced as follows: Loose, short, previously bleached cotton fibers or rayon fibers made from regenerated cellulose, and dyed if desired with vat-or naphthol dyes, are impregnated with an aqueous solution of 40% formaldehyde 400 Aluminum thiocyanate solution of 17 B.

per liter 40 are thereupon squeezed, pre-dried at about 60 C., and heated for about 20 minutes at about 120 C., rinsed and dried.

As varnishes for fixing the flock of the fabric, there may be used tacky drying varnishes, such as those having a drying oil or resin base, for example, synthetic resins, alkyd resins, etc., or also nitrocellulose varnishes, all of which are obtainable for this purpose on the market.

The following are examples of some of the processes and various novel pattern effects that may be secured in accordance with the procedures above outlined.

1. Mercerized cotton mousseline is printed with a varnish and thereupon flocked with a flock.

rendered insensitive as aforesaid; thereupon dried, parchmentized with sulfuric acid of 54 B. at 15 C. for 10 seconds, rinsed, washed, dried and optionally subjected to a remercerization treatment with caustic soda solution of B. at 17 C. under tension; thereupon the lye is removed, the fabric aciduiated, rinsed and dried on the tentering frame. The ornamental effect produced comprises a flocked pattern effect against a parchmentized background.

2. Apply the flock and parchmentize as in Example 1. Instead of tension-mercerization, shrink by 3-minute immersion in caustic soda solution of 30 then remove the lye, acidulate, rinse and dry. The ornamental eflect produced is a flocked pattern effect against a parchmentized background whereby undulation effects are produced by the shrinking treatment more or less pronounced according to the pattern.

3. A rayon viscose fabric is printed with a varnish and thereupon rayon flock which has been made insensitive as aforesaid, is applied; it is thereupon dried and parchmentized with sulfuric acid of 47 B. for 10 seconds, then rinsed and dried on the tentering frame. The ornamental eifect produced is a flocked pattern against a parchmentized background.

4. A mercerized warp sateen is printed on the back with a varnish of a mediumviscosity nitrocellulose; it is then dried and a flock varnish is applied on the right side; then flock which has been rendered insensitive is applied; the fabric is dried and thereupon impregnated on the slop padding machine with caustic soda solution of 38 B., then squeezed, left to lie for 3 minutes, the liquor is removed, the fabric is acidulated, rinsed and dried. Flocked pattern effects combined with shrinkage effects are obtained.

5. Mercerized cotton mousseline is printed with a pigment varnish consisting of:

Grams Acetyl cellulose, 50 Acetone 450 Ethyl alcoh l Amyl acetate 100 Titanium white 300 and thereupon in the same printing operation, varnish is applied prior to the fixing on of the flock. After the applying of the flock with swelling-resistant flock material, the fabric is dried and treated further as in Example 1. The ornamental efi'ect produced comprises opaque flocked and lacquer protected pattern areas against a parchmentized or transparentized background.

6. Print a mercerized cotton mousseline fabric in the same printing process with (1) a vat dye paste, (2) a water-soluble gum arabic resist 1:1, (3) a water-insoluble pigment varnish consisting of Grams Acetyl cellulose 50 Acetone 450 Ethyl alcohol 100 Amyl acetate 100 Titanium white 300 and (4) a varnish for the fixing-of the flock, in connection with which care must be taken that the flock is printed on last as above explained. After flocking, dry, steam, parchmentize with sulfuric acid of 54 Be'. at15 C. for 10 seconds, rinse and wash to remove the water-soluble resist; dry and remercerize with caustic soda solution of 30 B. at 17 C. under tension, remove the lye, acidulate, rinse and dry on a tentering frame. The ornamental effects produced comprise flocked and opaque lacquer pigmented areas, parchmentized or transparentized areas, and smooth mercerized areas, colored and uncolored.

7. A pre-bleached, cotton crepe fabric (i. e. containing highlytwisted yarns) is dried under sharp tension on a tentering frame; is printed with a water-soluble gum arabic resist 1:1, and in registry to same with a varnish; it is then provided with flock, dried and parchmentized with sulfuric acid of 54 B. for 10 seconds, washed to remove the water-soluble resist, and thereupon creped in a slightly alkaline, boiling crepe bath. The ornamental effects produced comprise opaque flocked pattern areas, parch mentized areas, and creped areas.

8. A fabric containing in the warp and weft, a fliler of slightly nitrated cotton yarn, in addition to natural cotton yarn, is printed with a resist of Grams British gum (dextrin) 200 Sodium hydroxide solution of 36 B. 800

and thereupon printed in registry with varnish. Thereupon the flock is applied, the fabric is dried and steamed for 7 minutes at above 100 C. whereby the resist bums out the nitrated yarns in the resist areas. After washing out of the burnt out or discharged yarns, the fabric is denitrated in the customary manner by treating for 1 hours at 35-40 C. with an aqueous solution of 20 grams of sodium sulfhydrate per liter. The fabric is thereupon washed out and then completed in the customary manner. Combined flock and embroidery pattern effects are produced against a background of the untreated material. The patterns are preferably so arranged that the flocked areas border the discharged areas, whereby eyelet embroidery and like effects are produced.

9. A mercerized, bleached, cotton voile fabric is printed with a cellulose xanthogenate solution of 6% cellulose content and about 8% sodium hydroxide content and in registry to same with a varnish; thereupon the flock is applied and the fabricis dried, followed by mercerization under tensioning. The ornamental effects produced comprise transparent pattern combined with flock printed pattern.

I claim:

1. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: pattern printing the fabric with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a coating of cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of strong swelling agents, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

2. Process for producing ornamental pattern eifectsin cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: pattern printing the fabric with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to' the action of parachmentizing agents, impregnating the fabric with a parchmentizing agent to parchment ize the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent. i

3. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: pattern printing the fabric with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of shrinking agents, impregnating the fabric with a shrinking agent, and thereafter washing to remove said agent.

4. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in difierent patterns and in registered relation with a resist against the action of swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying a flock material to the varnished areas and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

5. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with a resist against the action of swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

6. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with, successively, a resist against the action of swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying a flock material to the varnished areas and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

7. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with, successively, a resist against the action of swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

8. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile 'fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with, successively, a resist against the action of parchmentizing swellingi agents and with an adhesive varnish; applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a parchmentizing agent to parchmentize the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove said agent.

9. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with, successively, a water-soluble resist against the action of parchmentizing swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a parchmentizing agent to parchmentize the fibers in the exposed areas, washing to remove said agent and said resist, impregnating the fabric with a shrinking swelling agent, and thereafter washing to remove said soluble resistagainst the action of parchmentizin-g swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, applying to the varnished areas, a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents and drying, impregnating the sotreated fabric with a parchmentizing agent to parchmentize the fibers in the exposed areas, washing to remove said agent and said resist, printing the fabric in a different pattern with a second resist, impregnating with a shrinking swelling agent, and thereafter washing.

11. Process for producing ornamental effects in cotton fabrics containing natural fiber yarns and nitrated yarns, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with a discharge resist for removing said nitrated fibers in the resist areas, and with an adhesive varnish, applying a flock material to the varnished areas, drying, thereafter steaming and washing the fabric to remove said nitrated fibers in the resist areas, denitrating the remaining nitrated fibers, and washing.

12. A cellulosic textile fabric, at least a portion of which embodies an adherent coating of cellulosic flock fiber treated to resist moisture and the action of swelling agents.

13. A cellulosic textile fabric, at least a portion of which embodies an adherent coating of flock material resistant to moisture and the action of swelling agents, said material being selected from the group consisting of etherized, esterified and formaldehyde-treated cellulosic fiber.

14:. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying areas treated with a swelling agent and areas having an adherent coating of a flock material.

15. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying areas treated with a swelling agent and areas having an adherent coating of a cellulosic flock material resistant to moisture and the action of swelling agents.

16. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying parchmentized areas and areas having an adherent coating of cellulosic flock material resistant to moisture and the action of swelling agents.

17. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying areas treated with a shrinking agent and areas havingan adherent coating of flock material resistant to moisture and the action of swelling agents.

18. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying areas treated with a shrinking agent and areas having an adherent coating of a cellulosic flock material resistant to moisture and the action of swelling agents.

19. A cellulosic fabric embodying parchmentized areas, areas treated with a swelling agent, and areas having a coating of a cellulosic flock material resistant to. moisture and the action of swelling agents.

20. A cellulosic textile fabric embodying lacquer pigmented areas, areas treated with a swelling agent, and areas having an adherent coating of a flock material.

21. A cotton fabric embodying open-work areas resulting from treatment of nitrated yarns with a discharge agent, and areas having an adherent coating of flock material.

22. Process for producing ornamental pattern effects in cellulosic textile fabrics, which comprises: printing the fabric in different patterns and in registered relation with a dye-containing, water-soluble resist against the action of swelling agents and with an adhesive varnish, app1ying to the varnished areas a oellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents and drying, impregnating the so-treated fabric with a swelling agent to swell the fibers in the exposed areas, and washing to remove the said agent and said resist.

23. A eellulosic textile fabric embodying dyed and otherwise untreated areas, areas treated with a swelling agent, and areas having an adherent coating of a cellulosic flock material resistant to the action of swelling agents.

GEORGES HEBERLEIN. 

